Ex-Clinton Pollster Schoen Doubts Hillary Can Win Presidency

Doug Schoen, former pollster for Bill and Hillary Clinton, isn't certain Hillary Clinton could win the presidency in 2016.

Appearing Sunday on "The Cats Roundtable" on AM 970 in New York, Schoen told host John Catsimatidis he doesn't think his former boss has the "new car smell" that President Barack Obama last week said was needed for a Democratic candidate.
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He also said 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney would be a "formidable opponent" to Clinton.

"We’re in a real barn burner," Schoen said. "The race hasn’t even begun, and it’s tied ostensibly between Hillary and Mitt Romney."

Schoen pointed to a Nov. 26 Quinnipiac Poll showing Romney ahead of Clinton 45 percent to 44 percent in a possible 2016 race. Former GOP Florida Gov. Jeb isn't far behind Clinton in the poll, which showed support for Bush at 41 percent and Hillary at 46 percent in a head-to-head matchup.

"We’re in a statistical tie here. It’s anyone’s to be won," Schoen said.

Still, he believes Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner by double digits, will seek the office.

"The real question is how does she separate herself from Obama, yet not get so far away from him that … she doesn’t alienate his base constituents?" Schoen said.

Clinton needs to establish her own identity, but will find that difficult since her last four years of public service were spent heading up Obama's State Department, he said.

Romney has indicated publicly he has no plans to run again, though it is rumored he would do so if Jeb Bush decide against a 2016 bid.

If Romney runs he "would be a formidable opponent to Hillary," Schoen said.

"I think much of what Mitt said in the last campaign has been validated," he said. "And I think he’s been much better on the stump than he was four years ago."

Catsimatidis noted that Romney has been vetted already and anything that's going to be out on him was brought out in 2012.

Schoen doubts Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will run, despite calls from the far left of her party.

"I think she’s a strong candidate, if she runs. But there’s a big if," Schoen said. "The Democratic political base wants (her) kind of populism."